Booking future cruises while aboard??

[jinglesmountjoy]

Has anyone had experience with booking a future cruise while aboard a ship. I have heard that they will offer deals on future sailings if you book with them. For those who have experience, are the deals substantial or no different that what I can find online with some routine browsing?

Edited February 2, 2016 by jinglesmountjoy
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[SokoNC]

I have the same question.

I have heard that you get on board credit for the future cruise up to $200. Im not sure about the savings.

I'd appreciate any advice on this subject as well! :)

[Nic6318]

There is no special sale price for booking onboard. You do get an OBC, $200 for more than 12 day cruise, $100 for more than 6 but less than 12 day, $75 for 6 day, $50 for less than 6 day. You also get 2 certificates for friends who are wanting to go on the same cruise as yourself for the same OBC amount.

 

If you are considering taking advantage of this, do your research at home. Go to the booking desk early in the cruise. It sometimes gets busy later in the cruise. Don't wait in line if there are a few people there. Come back when there is nobody.

 

have a great cruise

[violetsmile]

We booked our upcoming cruise while we were on a ship. I have no complaints about having done it, and would consider doing it again if the circumstances were right for us.

 

We went into the cruise planning to book the next cruise on board. I knew the ship/date we wanted to sail because I had already done all the research. I knew we wanted the $100 OBC for booking on board, and knew we would book early saver, and I knew the area of the ship we wanted our stateroom. We've booked almost all of our cruises Early Saver, and I know that doesn't work for some people, but the restrictions are fine for us. This means that even with the perk of the $100 OBC for booking on board, we were still eligible for price drops and saving money down the road (and we have...I had three price drops before final payment, and the price has gone down around $150pp).

 

We did struggle with the hours of the guy working at the desk, and found him hard to catch. If we hadn't know what we wanted, I think it would have been a more frustrating and time-consuming experience.

 

Finally, we actually waited until toward the end of the cruise to book. We had a lot of OBC on our last cruise from price drops/deals, and it wasn't all refundable. I used the OBC to purchase Carnival Gift Cards in the gift shop, and turned around and used those gift cards to pay for most of the deposit on the next cruise. We normally would have gone through the OBC no problem, but things we planned on like Chef's Table were cancelled, we had pre-booked all of our excursions independently, and were on a ship without a steakhouse, so drinks (and a load of laundry) were about the only things we were spending OBC on.

 

We're not necessarily planning to do it again this year, but are happy with how it worked out last year.

[Schoifmom]

We booked on our last cruise. I would echo the do it early statement. I went later in the cruise and wait was very long.

 

Just a tip ... I booked a 3 day at the past guest rate (because I only had the money available for the deposit for a 3 day). When I got home, I transferred it to an ES rate for the cruise I actually wanted. As long as they keep your booking number the same, you will get the OBC. I went to a 7 day sailing and got the $100 OBC, even though my original booking was for a 3 day, which would have been $50.

[JohnSpo]

On one of my sailings they did offer double OBC for booking on board if the sailing date fell into a special promotional date range.

 

As an example the regular OBC for booking onboard on a 7 day cruises is $100. If the sail date fell into the promotional date range, the OBC doubled to $200.

 

Unfortunately my date range fell after the promotional date range so I could not get the double OBC. I only saw this special rate once so it probably won't be offered but look out for it.

[RecoveryDude]

I always book my cruises while on a cruise. I LOVE getting "extra" OBC (I also get the Shareholder credit and credit from my TA).

 

It's been an easy process. Like other people said, I do my research BEFORE I go so I know ship/sail date/deck and then it's a breeze. I buy carnival gift cards at a 10% discount from Verizon/Citi/AARP and use those for the deposit, and to pay off the cruise, and that way I save 10% off everything too.

 

I went EARLY in my cruise to the desk, like embarkation day, and there was not a line at all.

 

Cheers!

 

Jeff aka Recovery Dude :)

[uncleg]

I booked my next cruise on board...saved about $300 and a $100.00 OBC. Also booked ES, I have been watching cruise for price drops, there have been none, it has only gone up...so I may have saved more. Time will tell.

 

It was easy and would have went fast except one passenger had no idea when or were they wanted to go...so they had to see everything..prior to her it was quick and easy.

Edited February 2, 2016 by uncleg

[Sparky2]

We usually book our next cruise while on a current cruise. Have done this the last 3 or 4 years - since they eliminated the Future Cruise Certificates.

 

I did book next year's cruise before or recent cruise because the price kept going up. Fortunately, I was able to get a Friends & Family voucher thru CC Roll Call so I still got my $200 OBC.

 

A word of warning - Know what you want before you go to book. Do your research at home and be prepared.

 

The last 2 times I booked onboard (2014 & 2015) there were mistakes made. We booked B2B and one year she booked one of the cruises as Military (correct) and the other as ES. When I was ready to change them to ES, I found out about the mistake. My bad cuz I didn't check over all the paperwork. Since we were doing B2B she had to find a cabin that was available for both weeks. So the paperwork was dropped off in our mailbox & I didn't check it.

 

Then last year (2015 for our recent 2016 B2B0, one was booked under my name first & the 2nd was booked under my husband's name first. When doing check-in and applying credit card to second booking for onboard expenses, the name kept reverting to his name even though I'm the cardholder on the CC. I was aware of my husband's name being first, buy the loyalty "expert" said no big deal. Next time, I'd say, yes it's a big deal & please change it.

 

So beware.

[BenjiRodney]

Has anyone had experience with booking a future cruise while aboard a ship. I have heard that they will offer deals on future sailings if you book with them. For those who have experience, are the deals substantial or no different that what I can find online with some routine browsing?

 

We booked our next cruise while on the Breeze. They happened to be having a sale at that time. 1/2 off deposits, 50.00 OBC and another 50.00 OBC for booking on board. Rep handled everything and delivered the confirmation to our stateroom.

 

You get higher amounts of OBC based upon the length of the cruise you select.

 

Also if you are not sure what or when you want to go, you can book a past guest rate for way far out, then change it later once you know your dates you can travel. Past guest rates do not have a change fee and you get to keep your OBC you get for booking on board.

[realtrip]

We booked our upcoming cruise while we were on a ship. I have no complaints about having done it, and would consider doing it again if the circumstances were right for us.

 

We went into the cruise planning to book the next cruise on board. I knew the ship/date we wanted to sail because I had already done all the research. I knew we wanted the $100 OBC for booking on board, and knew we would book early saver, and I knew the area of the ship we wanted our stateroom. We've booked almost all of our cruises Early Saver, and I know that doesn't work for some people, but the restrictions are fine for us. This means that even with the perk of the $100 OBC for booking on board, we were still eligible for price drops and saving money down the road (and we have...I had three price drops before final payment, and the price has gone down around $150pp).

 

We did struggle with the hours of the guy working at the desk, and found him hard to catch. If we hadn't know what we wanted, I think it would have been a more frustrating and time-consuming experience.

 

Finally, we actually waited until toward the end of the cruise to book. We had a lot of OBC on our last cruise from price drops/deals, and it wasn't all refundable. I used the OBC to purchase Carnival Gift Cards in the gift shop, and turned around and used those gift cards to pay for most of the deposit on the next cruise.

QUOTE]

 

Can you tell me more about this (in orange), please?

Where do you get the gift cards? Do you ask at the cash register or a sales clerk? Could you purchase say 250$ worth to cover the whole deposit for a future cruise? Oh, and can this be done on any ship? We will be on the Pride.

Thank you!

[Schoifmom]

We booked our upcoming cruise while we were on a ship. I have no complaints about having done it, and would consider doing it again if the circumstances were right for us.

 

We went into the cruise planning to book the next cruise on board. I knew the ship/date we wanted to sail because I had already done all the research. I knew we wanted the $100 OBC for booking on board, and knew we would book early saver, and I knew the area of the ship we wanted our stateroom. We've booked almost all of our cruises Early Saver, and I know that doesn't work for some people, but the restrictions are fine for us. This means that even with the perk of the $100 OBC for booking on board, we were still eligible for price drops and saving money down the road (and we have...I had three price drops before final payment, and the price has gone down around $150pp).

 

We did struggle with the hours of the guy working at the desk, and found him hard to catch. If we hadn't know what we wanted, I think it would have been a more frustrating and time-consuming experience.

 

Finally, we actually waited until toward the end of the cruise to book. We had a lot of OBC on our last cruise from price drops/deals, and it wasn't all refundable. I used the OBC to purchase Carnival Gift Cards in the gift shop, and turned around and used those gift cards to pay for most of the deposit on the next cruise.

QUOTE]

 

Can you tell me more about this (in orange), please?

Where do you get the gift cards? Do you ask at the cash register or a sales clerk? Could you purchase say 250$ worth to cover the whole deposit for a future cruise? Oh, and can this be done on any ship? We will be on the Pride.

Thank you!

 

You can purchase gift cards in the candy shop (Cherry on Top). Yes, you can purchase them in any amount on any ship.